Story Summary
TPS star forward Lukas Wernblom was ejected from Saturday’s Liiga match against Lukko after officials determined that he had bitten Lukko defenceman Peetro Seppälä on the hand.
Seppälä was left holding his finger in pain after the confrontation. The officiating crew conducted a lengthy video review before issuing Wernblom a game ejection for biting. TPS then had to complete the match without one of the key forwards on its first line in front of a sold-out home crowd.
Key Facts
- TPS forward Lukas Wernblom was ejected from Saturday’s Liiga game against Lukko for biting Peetro Seppälä on the hand.
- The incident began in a first-period scrum in front of the net involving Wernblom and Lukko players.
- Lukko defenceman Peetro Seppälä held his finger in pain after the confrontation.
- Officials reviewed video of the incident at length before ejecting Wernblom.
- Wernblom has recorded 17 points in 17 games at the start of the Liiga season.
IHM Discussion
The ejection removed a productive TPS forward from the game at a moment when the club was already relying on its home support.
The lengthy review was central to the decision. Officials did not make the call solely amid the confusion of the crease-front scrum; they examined the video before concluding that biting had occurred. Seppälä’s reaction after the incident also made the confrontation a clear concern within an otherwise routine battle around the net.
Why It Matters
TPS lost a forward who has been producing at a point-per-game rate during the opening part of the season. Losing Wernblom forced the side to finish the contest without a star member of its first line, changing the personnel available to TPS for the remainder of the evening.
For Lukko, the immediate focus was Seppälä after he was hurt in the hand during the scrum.